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Study: US Could Have Done More to Limit Civilian Toll in Raqqa Battle

Smoke rises near the stadium where ISIS militants were holed up after an airstrike by coalition forces at the frontline, in Raqqa, Syria, Oct. 12, 2017. Reuters
Smoke rises near the stadium where ISIS militants were holed up after an airstrike by coalition forces at the frontline, in Raqqa, Syria, Oct. 12, 2017. Reuters
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Study: US Could Have Done More to Limit Civilian Toll in Raqqa Battle

Smoke rises near the stadium where ISIS militants were holed up after an airstrike by coalition forces at the frontline, in Raqqa, Syria, Oct. 12, 2017. Reuters
Smoke rises near the stadium where ISIS militants were holed up after an airstrike by coalition forces at the frontline, in Raqqa, Syria, Oct. 12, 2017. Reuters

The US military could have done more to limit civilian casualties and damage during the battle for the Syrian city of Raqqa that marked ISIS’ fall in 2017, according to a report commissioned by the Pentagon.

At the end of the nearly five-month battle to free the city from ISIS, "60 to 80 percent" of it was "uninhabitable" and resentment of the population was directed at the liberators, said a report by the research center RAND Corporation.

"Raqqa endured the most structural damage by density of any city in Syria," said the report released Thursday.

"The level of structural damage and the lack of US support for Raqqa's reconstruction led many Raqqa residents to resent the method of their city's liberation," it added.

So-called "targeted" airstrikes and artillery fire by coalition forces on Raqqa caused numerous civilian casualties between June 6 and October 30, 2017: from 744 to 1,600 dead, according to counts by the coalition, Amnesty International or the specialized site Airwars, the RAND report said.

But the battle of Raqqa also caused the destruction of a large number of buildings and civil infrastructure, which "undermined... long-term US interests" in the region, the 130-page document said, according to AFP.

According to UN figures cited by RAND, 11,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged between February and October 2017, including eight hospitals, 29 mosques, more than 40 schools, five universities and the city's irrigation system.

The US military, which conducted 95 percent of the airstrikes and 100 percent of the artillery fire during the battle, did not commit war crimes during the battle because it tried to respect international laws on the protection of civilians in wartime, but RAND said there was "room for improvement."

Instead of focusing on airstrikes to spare the lives of its soldiers, the US military should be prepared to send more troops into the field to gain better situational awareness and take on more risk.

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Arab World

Lebanon Tests ‘Arms Monopoly’ in Beirut Suburbs Crackdown

Damage to buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs (Reuters)
Damage to buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs (Reuters)
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Lebanon Tests ‘Arms Monopoly’ in Beirut Suburbs Crackdown

Damage to buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs (Reuters)
Damage to buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs (Reuters)

Lebanese security forces are intensifying a crackdown on gunfire during funerals held by Hezbollah for its members, in a move that signals an official push to curb lawlessness and halt scenes that are becoming increasingly frequent and alarming.

The Lebanese army said in a statement that military units raided the homes of suspects involved in shooting during funerals in Beirut’s southern suburbs and in Baalbek. Two people were arrested in the southern suburbs, along with another suspect wanted on multiple warrants.

The campaign extended beyond Beirut. The army said it also detained a man identified as H.N. in the al-Sharawneh neighborhood of Baalbek and another, S.A., in the town of Brital, over gunfire during funeral ceremonies.

It said weapons and ammunition were seized. The items were handed over and investigations have begun under judicial supervision, while efforts continue to arrest others involved.

Injuries in the southern suburbs

The crackdown comes as concern grows over the fallout from the practice, which has coincided with a rise in shooting incidents across several areas.

On Sunday, people were wounded in the Kafaat area of Beirut’s southern suburbs after gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades were fired into the air during a funeral, underscoring the immediate risks.

Ambulances rushed to evacuate the wounded, highlighting how funerals are turning from moments of mourning into scenes of danger.

The phenomenon is not confined to one region. In the Bekaa Valley, the army previously carried out wide raids in Brital, east of Baalbek, following gunfire and the use of B7 rockets during the funeral of two Hezbollah members.

The operation aimed to pursue those involved and curb the use of weapons at public events, in an effort to contain the situation before it escalated.

A gradual push to assert state authority

Hezbollah appears to be distancing itself from the gunfire.

Political analyst Ali al-Amine said “field indicators, including bullets landing in populated areas and near schools, confirm the seriousness of what is happening and show that this behavior cannot be justified under any pretext.”

He said the group is indirectly seeking to disassociate itself from such acts, and even condemn them, in a bid to contain the fallout. He added that the army is acting at a sensitive time, alongside negotiations and official meetings aimed at strengthening the state’s authority.

“There is a clear effort by the authorities to show they can take executive measures, even if gradually, toward imposing a monopoly on arms,” he said, adding the steps are not a direct confrontation with Hezbollah but an attempt to contain disorder.

“What is happening is a display or chaotic use of weapons.”

A costly confrontation

Al-Amine said Hezbollah understands that any confrontation with the state or the army would be costly and yield no gains, pushing it toward rhetoric rather than direct escalation.

“Whenever the state shows seriousness, reactions are less intense than initially portrayed,” he said, adding the real issue lies in the state’s decision, not the scale of risks, which he said are often exaggerated to obstruct reform.

“If the state fails to show it can act, it risks its role and existence,” he said.

He described the developments as the start of a new path toward consolidating state authority.

“The government is seeking to assert its sovereign role and show that the era of unchecked weapons is gradually giving way to the rule of law,” he said.

Arab World

Germany’s Wadephul Says Aid to Gaza Must Be Improved

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (R) and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shake hands as they attend a news conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, 05 May 2026. (EPA)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (R) and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shake hands as they attend a news conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, 05 May 2026. (EPA)
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Germany’s Wadephul Says Aid to Gaza Must Be Improved

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (R) and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shake hands as they attend a news conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, 05 May 2026. (EPA)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (R) and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shake hands as they attend a news conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, 05 May 2026. (EPA)

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Tuesday aid deliveries to Gaza had to be improved and he repeated Berlin's ‌position that ‌any de ‌facto annexation ⁠of parts of ⁠the occupied West Bank by Israel would not be acceptable to Germany.

"The ⁠plight of the ‌more ‌than two ‌million people whose situation ‌has not improved must not be overlooked amidst the conflict ‌in Iran. Humanitarian aid must ⁠be ⁠improved as a matter of urgency," Wadephul said at a joint news conference in Berlin with his visiting Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar.

Arab World

Gaza Factions Prepare Defensive Plans as Fears of War Rise

First responders inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a police station in Gaza City on May 5, 2026. (AFP)
First responders inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a police station in Gaza City on May 5, 2026. (AFP)
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Gaza Factions Prepare Defensive Plans as Fears of War Rise

First responders inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a police station in Gaza City on May 5, 2026. (AFP)
First responders inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a police station in Gaza City on May 5, 2026. (AFP)

Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have raised their level of alert among fighters as Israeli threats grow over a possible return to war.

Field sources in Hamas and Islamic Jihad told Asharq Al-Awsat that factions are working on “clear defensive plans” in case Israel resumes fighting along the same lines as its previous military operations in Gaza.

Residents are increasingly concerned about a broad resumption of war months after a ceasefire agreement between the two sides in October, which has been marked by repeated Israeli violations that have killed more than 800 people.

Four sources from the two groups said the plans are based on self-defense if Israel carries out its threats, stressing there are “no plans or intentions to initiate any attack.”

Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir as saying during a visit to troops in Lebanon days ago that the next battle could be in the Gaza Strip, because it has not ended yet, warning that if Hamas obstructs efforts to disarm it, the army would have to resume the war “with full force.”

Avoiding provocations

Two Hamas sources said instructions have been issued to avoid any provocative actions and maintain the current calm despite Israeli violations. A third source said the primary goal is to confront any Israeli military incursions into cities, as was the case before the ceasefire.

For months, Palestinian factions have deployed armed members at night across various areas of the enclave, especially in locations where Israeli special forces or armed groups aligned with Israel could infiltrate, aiming to confront them.

Fighters rotate shifts under a system that requires each member to participate in security duties once or twice a week.

Since a ceasefire was announced under a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, a boundary known as the “yellow line” has divided the Gaza Strip.

Areas east of the line are held by Israel and make up about 55% of the territory, while areas to the west remain under the control of Hamas and other factions.

Factions accuse Israel of using armed groups cooperating with its military to expand the scope of the yellow line and force residents in non-occupied areas to flee.

Killings of Hamas members

Israel has recently targeted security checkpoints manned by faction members, as well as police and security forces affiliated with the Hamas-run government, killing at least 33 police and security personnel since the ceasefire.

The latest victim was a lieutenant colonel in Hamas’s internal security service, Mohammad al-Ghandour, who was killed in an airstrike in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood shortly after midnight between Monday and Tuesday.

Gaza’s Interior Ministry said al-Ghandour was killed when his vehicle was struck, while field sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the attack targeted him and another member of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, who was critically wounded as they were stationed at a checkpoint on Al-Jalaa Street in Sheikh Radwan.

Sources said al-Ghandour, who was also active in the Qassam Brigades, had previously survived two assassination attempts, one by drone and another in a strike on his home.

The strike came days after Israeli attacks had paused in deeper western areas beyond the yellow line, where Hamas maintains control.

The Israeli military also announced on Tuesday it had killed what it described as a “Nukhba commander” in Hamas, Anas Mohammad Ibrahim Hammad, accusing him of taking part in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Israeli strikes have decreased in recent days at the request of mediators and the senior Gaza representative to the “Board of Peace,” Nickolay Mladenov, to allow room for negotiations underway in Cairo on a new roadmap for the ceasefire agreement.